Relativistic Molecular Levitation - Boundary-Layer Manipulation

Relativistic Molecular Levitation - Theory of Boundary-Layer Manipulation
by Tom Mallard, Independent Researcher
Reno, NV, December 5, 2010, All Rights Reserved

From a patent in 1964 on, there has been work done relating to the viscous boundary-layer in the atmosphere, a more difficult medium than liquids to use ions for propulsion or drag-reduction, the latter being my main interest for initial research, with propulsion later after learning about drag reduction. The original patent dealt with low-orbit, ionosphere in altitude flight so the fluid medium had an ample supply of ions to play with electromagnetically, although low-density so intended for near orbital velocities.

But to be useful to commercial flight a way had to be found to produce the ion proportion in the air flow for magnetism to be effective in the stratosphere or lower down. The idea was using an EMF wave down the vehicle in a Newtonian sense accelerating the molecules aft in enough mass volume to produce thrust at a practical level.

A recent patent in 2006, #7,017,863 B2, was based on a similar concept I authored in 1987 and sent to the Air Force’s Wright Aeronautical Laboratories in 1988 to let them evaluate, this was only part of a system proposed and they determined that, “it does not contain any innovative approaches …”, that used high-frequency to ionize the air near the surface, then, using EMF in a surface structure to reduce drag. To create a practical system requires it to be lightweight enough physically to not need a new airframe or wing certification if the existing commercial fleet worldwide is to be considered.

A close examination of the recent patent has key issues to attain a high efficiency for the system, this as stated to reduce drag initially with that empirical knowledge the basis for propulsion systems. It appears that the patented system operates up to about 15% reduction in aerodynamic drag over a plain wing, not bad yet the equation is cost-weight versus efficiency gained, for the commercial market it can’t weigh too much, going light usually drives up cost and that is compared to fuel burned per flight.

Regardless, my recent investigations, calculations and analysis led to what I feel is a discovery, enough to sign & date the initial draft on July 7, 2008, this a continuation of research into the same concept sent to the Wright Labs and patented 28-years later, the revisiting of the problem went on to examine things at the molecular level where sub-atomic forces overcome all those of the normal outside world.

The first finding of this research path came from an examination of the Compton Radius of the Electron, a real distance in space noticed for decades in physics labs. What was that? A scan of physics texts had left me wanting, so I began to have the hunch it was a captured photon, calculating it out at 99.999999% of the speed-of-light, the equations work out to the Compton Radius, almost exactly.

That was stunning to me, yet gave me insights for drag reduction, the next idea was to find a distance where sub-atomic forces exceed the outside world, the Van der Waals Radius or Distance is that distance where a molecule is “stuck” to the surface by sub-atomic interactions, and that is in reality the actual cause of shear in the boundary-layer, molecules stuck to the surface by being within this distance.

Thus, the importance of this conclusion is that although a molecule is repelled from the surface there’s too much time between EMF wave fronts and too many molecules “snap back” to allow high efficiencies in drag reduction if the frequency is too low, something the prototype system demonstrates.

Exploring that with math, an immediate finding implied that frequencies exist that would allow creating areas that repel molecules being ionized when approaching the surface in a flow, and this at quite a low voltage. Other findings suggest a system that can self-excite to operational power by the strong couple to the ions being affected.

My current research is into semi-conductor material concepts that can fulfill the overall needs of weight-cost versus actual reduction in drag to manufacture these systems for retrofitting current aircraft, anticipating drag reductions in the range of 30% at minimum, the calculations suggest drag can be eliminated entirely without much power, making lift a matter of angle-of-attack at high velocities but this is unnecessary for commercial flight.

While wings were the first surfaces considered, turbine and helicopter blades, including wind-power turbines, and, flow regimes for rocket engines, ventilation ductworks, even canals could benefit from this technology once it is developed into practical systems having costs low enough to change aviation, this as a first step toward a new level of boundary-layer manipulation and control that both saves fuel and brings a new era of performance to aerospace vehicles, we’ll see how it goes.